Bicycle kick stand



Oct. 28, 1952 L, C, ATWOQD ET AL 2,615,729

BICYCLE KICK STAND Filed Oct. 15, 1948 27. l ,5 f77, Z

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Patented Oct. Y28, 1952 leA'r-lzrsl'rn j. trusses y Y BICYCLE KICK STAND Lyle lC. Atwood and'Howard W. Clay, Rockford,

Ill., assignors to Atwood Vacuum Machine Company, Rockford, Ill., 'a c orporation'of Illinois replication october 15, i948, serial No. 54,744 14laim5. (01.28043701) This invention relates to a `new 'and improved bicycle. kick stand. l l, Bicycle kick stands have heretofore been` of rather large and cumbersome design', consider`- ving the simplicity of their intended function; `As

a result they were an entirely too'nconspjicuous and amuch more utilitarian than enhancing 'item "onvthe bicycles to 'which they were attached. Furthermore, many were sodesigned that their kick operation placed too great a shock and strain y upon their mounting and as a resultthe stands soon worked loose and ltheir attaching bolt `or boltshad to be tightened frequently, Usually too, the designed were such that the bearing journal end of the supporting leg had an insulcient length of lbearing surface to work in, in relation tothe'loads imposed upon this part in service,

and,as a result, the bearing and journal-were subjected to excessive wear and the supporting leg soon became too loose for safe or dependable support of the bicycle, so that replacement ofthe stand was necessary. It is, therefore, the principal object of our invention vto provide a kick stand of novel design aimed at avoiding theforegoing and other objections noted in kick stands previously available.'

- The' salient feature of the kick standof our invention is the use 'of a longitudinally split sleeve spring, herein called a `C-spring, because ioffthe C-shape of its cross-section, surrounding the journal bearing for theswingable supporting arm and cooperating, in the preferred form, with an elongated detent pin extending lengthwiseof'the bearing in a slot provided in the wall thereof to urge the pin inwardly in a radial direction relative to said bearing to engageselectively in either of two circumferentially spaced detent grooves or recesses provided in the journal end portion of the `supporting leg entered in said bearing, the said grooves being just 'deep enough in. relation to the pressure exerted by said spring so that said leg provides a reliable' support for the bicycle in its extendedk operative position, while, on 'the other1 hand, therev isL sufficient leverage with the supporting leg in relation to the holding force of the spring and detent pin to permit disengaging the pin from the groove and moving it with reasonably light foot pressure 'from one extreme position to theother. The bearing is located in Athe closest possible proximity to the plane of the attaching bracket or plate, namely, as a tangential continuation of one end thereof, therebyreducing to a minimum the cantilever action incident to the use of the stand for support and swinging the supporting leg from one extreme to the other relative to the attaching bracket, so that there is no likelihood of the bracket working loose .and requiring tightening. Furthermore, because there is nothing in this vdesign to interfere with making the journal bearing of lfor a much longer time thanfh'asyhe'ret v considered common for such devices@ v In'one modified form, aL ldeternglpm thatfi's rectangular in cross-section is y"used and cooperateswith V-shaped grooves in the journ por `tive kstop for the supporting leg when cooperation with the detent "grooves iny l Fig. 3` is ar` top view, showing clamping platev Il is f similarlyv provided adequate lengthso as to reducer'the unit/bearing minimum andthe stand will give `goed?serv-ice ofore been tion of -the supporting leg so as yto afford'- posireaches the operative position.y

Inanother modified form a detentlprojjectidn v takes the place of the detentpin andis provided Aas yan integral part of the split sleeve-'springyiie tending radially inwardly from one "side 'of-the split portion through the slot 'in the 'loearin'g'fo journal. f -f The invention is'illustrated in theaccoinpa'nying drawing inwhich: 1 f l i Fig. 1 is a side View of a kick stand m'adei cordance with our invention, a portion 'of the supporting' leg being brokenv away to 'save'. spacefand permit showing thefstructure on aflargerv scale, and portions of the bearing andfjournalenter'ed therein being shown in section" to `be'tte -"ll vs.- trate the modeof operation; f

Fig.2 isabackview; .f 1; .uw "he associated :on which the portion-sof the bicycle rear fork device islmounted;` f v f Fig. 4 is a view'like Fig. 1 :showing amodifled y or alternative construction insofar as the; detentv pin and groove are concerned; f i l f y Figs.f5 and. 6 are front viewsof other. ck stands showing m'odined or alternativeuconstructions insofar as the attaching plate orbra'cket is concerned, rand y f 1 1 fr k Fig. 7 isa sectional detail .corresponding-toa portion of Fig. lbut showing a` further modified or alternativeconstruction insofan as thesleeve spring is concerned, "this one'-beingfformedfto serve both as the sleeve-springend detent.'` u y rSimilar reference numerals areapplied to' co'i- "responding parts in'theses'even views;`

,1. for locating abutment with the :outer 'sidesof the .spaced substantially parallel, ihorizontalsbars 8 of thev bicycle rear Wheel fork and thas a'downwardly extruded neck '9 inthe center 'thereoffthat isy internally threaded to receive the r threaded lower end ofthe single fastening'bolt l0, 'afsi-"ng'le boltbeing practical here because the `coopera 'the same downwardly curved lateral edge portions I2 for locating abutment with the bars 8 from above. The central portion of the plate II is embossed upwardly for reinforcement, as at I3, where the hole for bolt I is provided, and a lock washer Il is preferably provided under the head of bolt III to prevent loosening. The bent rod supporting leg I5 for propping the bicycle has an outwardly directed lower end I8 for contact with the ground or other supporting surface and a horizontal inwardly directed upper end I1 for operation as a journal in the curled end I8 of the bracket 8 which serves as a bearing therefor, this bearing being in acute angle relation to the bars 8, as appears in Fig. 3, so as to locate the ground engaging end I 6 of the leg I5 far enough away from the bicycle for proper support when the leg I 5 is turned through nearly 120 from a nearly horizontal retracted position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, wherein it is substantially parallel to and alongside the bicycle rear wheel fork, in the usual way, to the operative position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. The bearing I8, as clearly appears in Fig. 1, is a substantially tangential continuation of the bracket 6, and the importance of this from the standpoint of reducing the troublesome cantilever effect to a minimum will soon appear. It will suice at this point merely to call attention to the fact that the bearing I8 is of ample length and that the journal I1 extends the full length thereof so that the unit bearing pressure in this construction is reduced far below what has been common for devices of this kind in the past. The bearing I8 is rather tightly enclosed by a split sleeve spring I9 substantially its full length, and this spring, sometimes referred to as a lC-spring, because of its C-shaped cross-section, serves to press a` cylindrical detent pin into whichever one of two rounded grooves 2| and 22 in the journal I1 is brought into register with the slot 23 in the bearing I8, the pin 20 being caged in said slot and having an easy working t therein. The pin 20 causes the spring I-9 to be spread to an appreciable extent when the pin is seated in either of the grooves 2| and 22, as appears in Fig. 1, but when the leg I5 is turned to turn the journal I1 and accordingly force the pin 20 to ride out of the groove the spring is spread much more, as must be clear from a study of Fig. 1, and hence the spring is loaded enough so that it will snap the pin back into the other groove under heavier spring pressure as soon as that groove comes into register with the slot. The slot 23 terminates short of the ends of the bearing I8, as appears in Fig. 2, and the pin 20 is slightly shorter than the slot so that it will work freely therein. The grooves 2| and 22 are circumferentially spaced about 120, more or less, and are so related to the leg I5 so that when pin 20 is seated in groove 22 the leg is' supported releasably in the raised, substantially horizontal l retracted position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l, and when pin 20 is seated in groove 2| the leg is supported in the lowered operative position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. The groove 2| should be and preferably is a trifle deeper than groove 22 inasmuch as there is no strainupon the leg I5 in raised position whereas the leg I5 assumes the load incident to propping the bicycle when in its operative position. However, both grooves are just deep enough in relation -to the pressure exerted by spring I9 so that the leg I5 provides a reliable support in its operative position, while, on the other hand, they are shallow enough in relation to the spring pressure of spring I9 and the leverage afforded by leg I5 in turning the same from one extreme position to the other so that it can be moved one way or the other with reasonably light foot or hand pressure. It is particularly in the kick operation of the leg I5 from one extreme to the other that the close proximity of bearing I8 to the plane of plate 6 becomes so important from the standpoint of reducing to a minimum the cantilever action incident to swinging the leg I5 to turn the journal I1 in the bearing I8 against the resistance afforded by spring I9, pin 2|), and groove 2| or 22, because the shocks and strains that were heretofore responsible for loosening the kick stand are thereby reduced to an extent where tightening of bolt I0 should never be necessary after the kick stand has once been properly applied to the bicycle. The good bearing afforded in the present construction for journal I1 plus the fact that graphite or other lubricant can be packed in the structure at the factory at the time of assemblingand is thereafter shielded in service by the spring I 9 against loss and against contamination by dirt and water account for the durability of the present device, even without any oiling.

The construction shown in Fig. 4 is the same except that leg I5a has cooperating with its journal I1a a detent pin 20a of square crosssection which slides in a slot 23a one side of which extends substantially radially, as shown, and the other side of which is parallel thereto, the pin being arranged to enter either of two grooves ZIa and 22a in the journal I1a. With this construction it is manifest that, because the pin 20a has its one side disposed in a plane extending substantially radially with respect to the journal I1a and parallel to the opposite edge of the slot 23a. in which the pin 20a is guided and the journal has a matching groove 2Ia, the pin forms a positive stop for the journal Ila preventing further turning in a clockwise direction when the leg |5a reaches operative position. However, because the other side of the pin 20a is at right angles to the aforesaid radial plane, it should be clear that ythe journal I1a may be turned relatively easily in a counter-clockwise direction to the dotted line retracted position. The groove 22a, on the other hand, is arcuate shaped, like the groove 22 in Figs. 1 and '1, so that it gives only a detent action in either direction of relative rotation. Hence, when the leg I5a is in the retracted position, it can be moved to the operative position with the same ease with which it is returned to the retracted position. This design may require a little heavier foot or hand pressure to turn it from one position to the other, assuming the same spring I9 is used. However, a lighter spring may be used to make this design feasible.

In Fig. 5 the stand is the same as in Figs. 1 to 3 so far as the supporting leg I5 and spring I9 cooperating with bearing I8, journal I1 and detent pin 20 are concerned but the attaching plate or bracket 6a is of a different design for wider adaptability to different designs of bicycles, the same being of inverted V form as shown, so that the apex or ridge 24 of the V projects up in between the spaced bars 8 of the rear fork so as not to turn out of a proper position. The bearing I8, which is a curled extension of one end of the V-shaped plate 8a, will be disposed at the angle indicated in Fig. 3. The clamping plate IIa is of generally rectangular form with downwardly bent tapered lugs 25 on the front vand rear edges that llit nicely'between the bars 8, as shown, to locate the plategwhile serving also` as reinforcement for the plate to Aresist buckling thereof when the single bolt Illa'that extends through registering centerholes in the f plates IIa and 6a is tightened',`Y this bolt being threaded in a nut 26 that isv disposed in thecrotch of the V of the plate `Iia andis thereby held against turning.

- In Fig'. 6 the stand'i's'cioseiy similar to that `of Fig'. 5, the supportinglegand spring I9.co

' position,4but there is, in addition,'a horizontally extending edge portion 21 on onesideyand'van upwardly inclined edge portion 28 on the other,

side to bear against the bottoms of'bars `8on different vbicyclesA where the bars are spaced differently, as indicated Aby the dottedlineshowing of one of the bars 8in this ligure.y It will be noticed that the right hand-` bar yfits inthe trough of the V formed by the'upwardly bent edge portion 28 and the adjoiningside lof the inverted V, the apex portion of which is numbered 24a, so thatregardless of where theother bar on the left lies with respect to the inverted V, namely, whether it engages the left-hand side of the inverted V,v as shown in full lines, or whether it is spaced outwardly vthereiromas indicated in dotted lines, the plate 8b is` held securely against turning out of its properv position. The horizontally extendingv edge portion 21 is wide enough to accommodate an appreciable range of spacings of the bars 8. The bearingvIB, which is'acurled extension of'one end of the plate 6b, is disposedat the 'angle indicated in Fig. 3 in relation to the plate. The clamping plate IIa. is like that shown in Fig. 5, namely, of generally rectangular form with downwardly bent tapered lugs 25 cnthe front and rear edges that fit neatly between' the bars with at least one edge portion of'these lugs in engagement with the side of one ofthe bars to locate the plate, the lugs serving also as reinforcement for the plate to resist buckling thereof when the single bolt Illa. that extends through registering center holes in the plates IIa and 6b is tightened, this bolt being threaded in a nut 2 6 that is disposed in the crotchof the inverted V of plate 6b and is thereby held against turning.

The device of Fig. 7 is th'e same as either of the others in so far as the attaching plate or bracket 6 or 6a and the cooperating clamping plate II or IIa and bolt I0 or Ia are concerned, but in this form the C-spring I9b includes an integral, radially inwardly projecting detent projection 20h working through slot 23 inybearin'g I8 to enter either of the detent grooves 2l and 22 provided in journal I1, whereby to afford all of the advantages and kind of operation as either of the other structures withv one less part, the C-spring I9'b serving the samepurposes as the two-parts I9 and 2U in Fig. l or I9 and 20a in Fig. 4. The U-shape of the projection 20o may be changed to a V-shape to fit V-shaped grooves in journal I1, and, if desired, the shape of the It will be noticed that the,

projection.`mayconformvin angularity Vto the grooves 2`I a and 22a ofFigfzA, sofas toaffor'd the positive stop* 'feature described in..l that. confstructivon.k l, t Itis believed the `'foregoingdescription confveys a good-understanding of-fthe objects and 'advantages oramy .,inventionlf `The appended claims have beenv drawn to cover lalvl legitimate lo-modications andfadapta'tins. i

. .We clam: ,Y f l .i i \1.-A device of -thecharacter described: comprising a tubular bearing, a supporting leg l'i'avfing an angilarly extendingl cylindrical endl portion fitting insaid be'ai'ingf'as' a journal, said `bearing having alongitudin'al slot provided therein and saidf journall having -circumferentially `leg relative -to said bearing, spring tightly enclosing more spaced longitudinal grooves provided therein .arranged to register with said slot A in different positions of `angular adjustment of"saidsupporting and a split sleeve than half of said bearing measured circumferentially pressing a vdetentelement inwardly in said slot toward enjgagenientinwhichever groove is in register .with 25. o V e o v v.

I 2Q A device of said slot. l n

the character described comprisling atubularbearing, avv supporting leg having "anangularly extendingv cylindrical end portion ftting in saidbearing as-a journal, said bearing having a longitudinal slot provided therein and j said journal having circumferentially spaced longitudinal grooves provided thereinl arranged to register with said slot in different positions o f angular adjustment of said supporting leg relative to said bearing, an elongated detent element extending lengthwise relative to said journal and movable in said vslot bodily in agenerally radial direction relative to the journal toward engagementin whichever groove is in register with said slotfand a split sleevevspringfwhich is spread open for tightly 'enclosing more than half of said bearing measured circumferentially, including the slotted portion thereof', and engaging said detent element so as to press the same inwardly toward operative relationship to the journal.v

3.`A device vof the' character Kdescribed comprising a tubular bearing, a supporting leg having an angularly extending cylindrical end portion tting in said bearing as a journal, said bearing having a longitudinal slot provided therein and said journal having circumferentially spaced longitudinalgrooves provided' therein arranged to register with said slot in different positionsof angular adjustment of said supporting leg rel-ative to said bearing, and asplit sleeve spring which is spread open for tightly enclosing more than half of said bearing measured circumferentially and having an inwardly extending' end portion elongated lengthwise relative to said journal and movable in said slot under the contractive force'of said spring toward 'engagement in whichever groove is in register with said-slot.

4. A device of 4the character described cornpris'ing a tubular bearing, a supporting leg vhaving lan angularly extending cylindrical end portion ,iitting in said bearing as a journal,ksaid journal having circumferentially spaced detent recesses provided therein arranged to register with ak substantially radial opening provided in said bearing in different positions of angular adjustment -of said supporting leg relative to said.- bearing, and a split sleeve spring tightly enclosing more than half of said bearing measured circumferentially and urging a detent element inwardlyinsaid opening toward engagement in whicheverrecese registerswith said opening. Y

v5. Adevice of the character-described comprising a tubular bearing, a supporting leg having an angularly extending cylindrical end Vportion fitting in said'bearing as a journal, ysaid journal having circumferentiallvspaced detent recesses provided therein arranged tio-register with a substantially radial opening Iprovided in said bearing in different positions of angular adjustment of said supporting leg relative to said bearing, a detent element -movable inwardly in said opening toward eng-agement in whichever recess is in register with `said opening, land a C-spring which is spread open and tightly embraces said bearing circumferentially an'dfenga-ges said detent element so asto' press it inwardly toward operative relationship to said journal.

6. A device of the character described comprisling a tubular bearing, a supporting leg having an angularly extending cylindrical enddportion f1tting in said bearing as a journal, said journal having circumferentially spaced -'detent recesses provided therein arranged to register with a substantially radial opening provided in said bearing in different positions of angular adjustment of said supporting leg relative to said bearing, and a C-spring which is spread open to tightly7` embrace said bearing circumferentially and has an inwardly extending end portion projecting through said opening and urged under the contractive force of said spring toward engagement in whichever recess is in register with said opening.

7. A device of the character described comprising a tubular bearing, a supporting leg having an angularly extending cylindrical end prtion fitting in said bearing as a journal, said bearing having a longitudinal lslot provided therein intermediate the ends thereof and said journal having circumferentially spaced longitudinal grooves provided therein of substantially equal length and located intermediate the ends of said journal for registration with said slot in different positions of angular adjustment of said supporting leg relative to `said bearing, said grooves being of arcuate 'form in transverse section, an elongated detent pin of cylindrical form and of a radius to conform substantially to the grooves and protrude to some extent outwardly from said slot even when engaged in one of said grooves, and a split sleeve spring which is spread open and tightly encloses said bearing, said spring being longer` than said slot and arranged to cover the same and bear against the protruding portion of said pin to urge the same inwardly toward operative relationship to the journal.

8. A device of the character described comprising a tubular bearing, a supporting leg having an angularly extending cylindrical end portion fitting in said bearing as a journal, said bearing having a longitudinal slot provided therein intermediate the ends thereof and said journal having circumferentially spaced longitudinal grooves provided therein of substantially equal length and located intermediate the ends of said journal for registration with said slot in different positions of angular adjustment of said supporting leg relative to said bearing, an elongated detent pin of polygonal cross-section providing opposed parallel surfaces slidably engaging the sides of the slot in the bearing as guides and providing a V-shaped edge portion longitudinally thereof to engage in either of the grooves, said pin being of such sectional dimen' sions as tol protrude f to some extent outwardly -from said slot even when engaged in oneof said tudinal grooves provided therein of ysubstantially equal length and locatedintermediate theends of said journal for registration with said slot in different positions lof angular adjustmentof said vsupporting leg relative to said bearing, .said

grooves being of arcuate form in transverse section, anda split sleeve spring which is spread open and tightly-encloses said bearing, said sleeve having a U-shaped end portion projecting inwardly through said slot and urged inwardly under thecontractive force of said springfor engagement of its arcuate inner extremity in either of said grooves, the radius of the arcuate inner extremity being such that the same conforms substantially to said grooves.

. 10. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein one of said grooves is of greater depth than the other, for the purpose specied.

11. A device as set forth in claim- 4 wherein one of said recesses is of greater depth'than the other, lfor the purpose specified. v

12. A device as set forth in claim 7 wherein one of said grooves is of greater depth than. the other, for the purpose specified.

13. A device as set forthin Claim 2 .wherein the detent element is of a polygonal form in cross-section, and at least one of said grooves is V-shaped to t an edge portion of said detent element with the V soarranged angularly` in relation to the rotary movement of said journal and the slot and detent element working therein positively to limit rotation of said journal in'one direction.

14. A device as set forthin claim 8 wherein one of the grooves is so shaped and arranged angularly in relation to the rotary movement of said journal and the slot and detent pin working therein positively to limit rotation of said journal in one direction.

LYLE C. ATWOOD. HOWARD W. CLAY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,115,284 Pratt Apr. 26, 1938 2,153,430 Newman Apr. 4, 1939 2,202,426 Pawsat May'28, 1940 2,447,718 Simpson Aug. 24, 1948 2,496,593 Morgan Feb. 7, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country I Date 16,910 `Great Britain Sept. 18, 1897 55,463 Denmark Nov. 14, 1938 60,356 Norway Jan. 23,1939 100,814 Sweden 'Feb. 4,Y r1941 568,050 France Dec. 15, 1923 

